Combined carpet stretcher and tacker.



Nrrnr) vSTATES AENT rmoa.

CHARLES W. VILLEY, OF WINTERPOR'I, MAINE.

COMBINED CARPET STRETCHER AND TACKER.

SPEClFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,696, dated J' uiy 31, 1900.

i Application filed September 25, 1899. Serial No. 731,610. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may cow/067%.-

' Beit known that I, CHARLES W. WILLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winterport, in the county of Waldo and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Carpet Stretcher and Tacker, of which the following is a speciiication. y

This invention is a combined carpet stretcher and tacker, the object being to provide a simple and efficient device by means of which the carpet can first be stretched to the desired extent and a tack then driven into `the carpet while in such stretched condition by simply releasing the hammer, carryingwith it a tack, so that the stretching and tacking operation can virtually be performed simultaneously.

Vith this object in view the invention consists of a stretching device carrying a springactuated hammer, saidham mer Vbeing provided with means for carrying the tack and the trigger for holding the said hammer in an elevated position during the stretching operation, which trigger can be releasedfwhen desired for the purpose of permitting the hammer to strike the blow and drive the tack.

The invention consists also in certain-details of construction and novelties of combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings forming part of this speciiication, Figure l is a perspective view showing the practical application of my invention. Fig. 2 is'a vertical longitudinal section, part of the device'being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view. Fig. t is a detail perspective view ofthe tackholding spring. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the hammer.

In the practical embodiment of my invention I employ a stretching device comprising a handle or pole A, and which may be of any desired length and having a barbed or pronged plate B connected to the lower end thereof by means of a suitable fork or yoke C. By

means of the barbed or pronged plate a suit able grip can be had upon the carpet, and by pushing upon the handle the carpet can be stretched.

The tacking device comprises a hammer D, pivoted at its rear end in the fork or yoke C,

between the members thereof and adjacent to the end of the handle or pole, said hammer being provided with a depending arm D', to which is attached a coiled spring E, the opposite end of said spring being secured to the handle or pole by means of a suitable eye or other device. The purpose of the spring E is to forcibly throw the head D'f2 of the hammer downwardly, as indicated by the arrow, for the purpose of driving the tack, and it will be noted that the barbed plate of the stretching device is cut away at the center, as shown at B', in order to permit the hammer to drive the tack. This hammer is provided with a spring-plate F, secured to the under side thereof, the free end of said plate being slotted, as shown at F', and rests directly beneath the head of the hammer, the said slot in the end being intended to receive a tack, whereby said tack is` held in position directly beneath the head `of the hammer, so that when the springE throws the head downwardly the tack will be driven through the carpetinto the floor. In order to hold the hammer up While the carpet is being stretched, I employ a spring-trigger G, the rear end of which is fastened to the handle or pole at its lower end, the free end of the trigger being bifurcatedto straddle the hammer, and this trigger is provided with a series of perforations G', adapted to engage a pin H, arranged upon the upper side of the hammer, so that when the hammer is elevated the said pin will engage one of the series of perforations and will be held elevated. When it is desired to release the hammer, the trigger is raised through the medium of a cord I, connected to the free endof the trigger and eX- tending up to the free end of the handle, and the moment the said trigger is released the force of the spring E will throw the hammer downwardly, driving the tack through the carpet into the floor. By having a series of perforat-ions on the trigger the hammer can be raised to varying heights, according to the size of the tack to be driven. Thus it will be understood that the hammer will be elevated higher to drive an eight-ounce tack than it will to drive a six-ounce tack, and

so on.

It will thus be seenV that I provide an exceedingly simple and efficient means by which IOO the carpet can be stretched and tacked by one operation. v

Having thus fully described my invention,

i what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. A combined stretcher and tackercomprising a. pole or handle, barbed plate, and yoke connecting the plate and pole, the hammer pivotedrin said yoke having an arm connected to a spring for throwing the said ham-y mer downwardly, the top of the hammer being provided with a pin, a trigger secured to the pole and havingr its free end bifurcated and provided with a series of perforations to engage with the pinand hold the hammer in an elevated position, and the cord for releasing the trigger,V substantially as shown and described.

Y 2. A combined stretcher and tacker, comprising the handle, a barbedplate and yoke in combination withl the hammer, having a dependingarm, the springeonnecting the said depending arm and handle, the perforated trigger-plate attached to thel handle, the pin carried by the hammer and adapted jto engage the trigger, the tack-holding plate,

and the cord adapted to releasethe trigger, substantiallyas'described. p CHARLES W. WILLEY.

f Witnesses:

F. C. A'rWooD, PERCY C. RICH.-Y 

